I don't know about you, but for me the season's blessing of long hours of sunlight somehow seems to expand all the possibilities for creating bountiful meals — even after a long day at the office.

Throughout most of the year, getting dinner on the table is a race against the clock. As the working day grows longer, and we answer yet another after-hours email, our plans for braising or roasting our meals get downgraded to quickly stir-frying some vegetables. When we finally walk through the door, exhausted, at 8 p.m., we wonder if we have the energy to make a piece of toast with avocado.

But summer's bright evening hours are invigorating: When the workday is done, there are still plenty of hours left to do whatever you want before bedtime. For me, that often involves creating more ambitious meals than I would be inclined to on a dark, cold winter night.

Summertime's freewheeling bounty spurs my creativity in the kitchen with little effort. Instead of planning a menu I tend to improvise in the kitchen inspired by my local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and I rely on what the farmer has brought for me to create my meals, aaaaahhhhh. I create less picture-perfect but more soul nourishing food. It tends to be more whimsical, colorful, and, at times, even tastier.

Sometimes, a messy, juicy heirloom salad with butter lettuce and cuke salad is every bit as satisfying as a labored-over three-course menu — and a lot more fun to make.

No cooking required on this nourishing and cooling summer salad using the ingredients from my local CSA box. The dressing requires no blend and turns out super creamy.

How dull your skin looks and feels is directly related to how clean or toxic your daily intake is. Minimizing the toxic load on the skin (your largest organ) on a consistent basis will help your skin go from dry, flaky and grey to radiant, hydrated, and softer in a matter of days.

Quick fix: While drinking coffee can help you battle fatigue in the short term, the constant highs and lows really do a number on your hormonal system and dehydrate the skin. When you begin relying less on caffeine and more on nourishing foods that are alkaline in nature your desire for coffee will begin to shift with ease and the endless cycle of dependance on a jolt of energy will no longer exist. As a great source of energy in the morning, The Cravings Buster Smoothie will get your day started with a boost without a crash later taxing your body and stressing your organs.

Vibrant and super green vegetables like green beans also provide healthy benefits to our skin, keeping it smooth and radiant infusing it with antioxidants proven to prevent premature skin aging and minimize wrinkles.

Summer Green Beans w/Parsley Recipe

4 servings

1 pound green beans, stem ends removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add green beans and cook until tender but still crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In the same pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Return the beans to the pot. Add the lemon zest, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Toss to coat and serve.

Optional: Sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped, and sprinkle with raw cheese of choice.